Opinion | Sports Broadcasting Needs More Women

I have always had a passion for sports. I mean, living in the state of Wisconsin, it is hard not to, right? We have some of the most dedicated and passionate fans in the country with the Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks and the Green Bay Packers. When it came time for me to decide a career path, the idea of becoming a sportscaster instantly came to mind. Not only do I have a fondness for all things sports, but the entertainment industry as a whole. I felt that becoming a sportscaster would combine and satisfy my appreciation for both.

As I began pursuing my dream of becoming a sportscaster through classes and internships, my eyes were opened to the realities of being a girl in this profession. Now I am not talking about the job itself, I am talking about how I am treated for liking sports, and well, being a girl who likes sports. The criticism that I experience for devoting myself to sports is disappointing. I get comments often that are demeaning. Comments like “You want to be a sportscaster? But you’re a girl!” Or “So do you like have to Google stats? Because girls don’t know anything about sports.” Or, my personal favorite, “Do you even know the difference between football and soccer?”

I remember one specific encounter I had with a young male at a restaurant in downtown Milwaukee who approached me. He was asking me about what I do. As I explained that I am in school, and working for the Milwaukee Bucks, he asked what I am going for. I told him that I was going for broadcast journalism, but have hopes of becoming a sportscaster. He said to me, “they let girls do that? I didn’t think they were capable.” I left the restaurant and began thinking about why people, specifically males, think this way.

Being a girl in today’s society is difficult. Walking down the street is a daily struggle because I am faced with catcalling from passing car windows as well as the whistling from some curious male bystanders. Although they may think they are complimenting me, they are sadly mistaken. Not only does it make me feel uncomfortable, but also it is disrespectful and degrading to women. Walking down the street is not the only struggle I face when it comes to feeling belittled in today’s society because I am a girl.

I will never regret choosing sportscasting for a profession because I am the one who is going to be happy in the end. I have learned to use hurtful comments as motivation to prove these people wrong and show them that there are women in this world who know a thing or two about sports, and they’re good at it. I hope to someday be a strong women figure that girls look up to and aspire to be like. I intend to prove that we girls do, in fact, know the difference between football and soccer.